Method for making roof flashing



C. C. F IGGE METHOD FOR MAKING ROOF' FLASHING March 7, 195o Filed Dec. 18, 1944 @rfa/Z 36,1%# d IN VENTOR:

@ZW Mx Patented Mar. 7, 1950.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,499,908 METHOD FOR MAKING ROOF FLASHING Cairoli o. Figge, chicago, 111.

Application December 18, 1944, Serial No. 568,647

1 Claim. (Cl. 154-117) This invention relates in general to a new and improved apparatus and method for making a roofing piece, more particularly described as a flashing, and to the process of making it in a continuous strip.

An important object of the invention is in the provision of means for uniting a sheet metal band and a continuous strip of roong fabric and in banding the fabric sharply over the metal band to enclose it.

A further object of the invention is in coating a sheet metal strip with an impervious layer as it is applied continuously to a strip of roong material.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a metal reinforcing roof flashing which tightens under tension as it is applied.

A still further object of the invention is in a novel method of applying an asphaltic coating to a metal strip as it is unwound from a roll by means of heat.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a flashing in accordance with this invention as applied to a portion of a roof;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the fiashing at the line of application;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the flashing;

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagramatic views illustrating the method of making the flashing;

Fig. 6 is a top view taken along line 6 6; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the edge heater.

In making a compression type of flashing, it is desirable to include a metal strip in one folded edge of the fabric in order to give it stiffness and rigidity so that it may be nailed or otherwise fastened against a brick wall inserted into a raggle joint between the bricks, or otherwise secured around the edge of a roof for providing protection and waterproofing. An iron or steel strip thus included provides the necessary stiffness and tightens under tension when nailed or otherwise secured in place, but is subject to the objection that it is liable to rust, and thereupon to deteriorate, to lose its adhesive qualities and cause a leak to develop.

In bending prepared roofing sharply, as in applying it around a metal strip, there is a danger that the material, even though made of felt, asbestos. or other fibers, will crack or break,

thereby forming a place where moisture may l To overcome these diculties and to provide a method of making flashing of this kind in a continuous strip, the metal and fabric are fed from continuous rolls, the metal is provided with a coating of rust preventing material such as an asphalt or enamel which is baked thereon, and the edge of the fabric which is folded over the metal strip to enclose, or to partially enclose it, is heated before it is bent thereby preventing it Afrom cracking or breaking even though it is folded upon itself with only a thin metal strip therein.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a flashing as contemplated by this invention comprises a sheet or strip I0 of felt, canvas, asbestos, or other fibers usually treated with asphalt or other waterproofing material, in a well known manner. One edge II is turned over to enclose a metal strip I2, the strip and folded edge being held in place by staples I3 which permanently hold the parts together.

When this flashing is applied to a roof deck I4, it is usually placed about the edge overlying one or more layers I5 of waterproof roofing material, the flashing being bent upwardly against a surrounding parapet or wall I6 and being secured thereto by roofing nails II placed at frequent intervals and into the mortar joint if it is a brick wall. A fillet I8 of plastic hardeningl material is applied to the joint between the edge of the flashing and the wall, to additionally seal the roof against leakage.

In applying a metal stiifened flashing of this kind to a wall by means of roofing nails l1 or other similar securing devices, the insertion of the nails through the attachment shoulder and through the metal I2 therein, causes an indenting of the metal at the perforations I9 made by the nails which, in effect, tightens or tensions the flashing against the wall between the nails, thereby causing the flashing to adhere more tightly with a stiff metalsuch as steel or hard rolled copper than with a soft iron or soft copper material. The result is that as the nails are inserted, the flashing tightens with tension against the wall to which it is applied, not only at the nail holes but also between them, thereby causing the flashing to adhere more tightely to the wall and to maintain a better and more nearly Waterproof joint. In making this flashing by a continuous method, fabric material 28 is supplied from a continuous roll 20 and a metal strip 22 is supplied from a continuous roll 2| The metal 22 passes throughs. container 23 having an asphalt liquid 24 therein which adheres to the metal and passes with it over a guide roller 25 into a burner tube 26 having a flue or chimney 21 near its entering end.

That portion of the metal strip which is in the burner tube With the asphalt adhering thereto, is set are and burning continues as the strip moves through the tube, the chimney or flue confining the flames within the burner tube and baking an asphaltic covering like an enamel, entirely covering the strip. As the strip emerges from the tube, it may be only partially baked or hardened, depending upon the length of the tube and the speed at which the strip is moved, but if it is slightly sticky or tacky, ,it adheres to the surface of the roofing strip 28 from the roll 20.

In applying the metal strip to the roofing, -t is located at -a distance from one edge substantially equal to the width of the metal strip so that by bending the edge of the roofing over the metal strip, it will be covered and substantially enclosed thereby. Overlapping this .edge is an edge heater `30 in the form of an open channel 3l4 extending above ,and below the edge and having one or more tubes 32 for receiving and discharging heat thereto from any suitable heat source as represented by a burner 33.

After `it passes the edge heater, the roof fabric is engaged by one or more bending rollers 34 and 35 which bend and fold the heated edge over the metal strip 22 Without bending or cracking the material of the fabric. then Vpasses under a stapler 36 which automatically applies staples at spaced distances, the completed flashing is drawn between rollers 31 and a cut-offedevice 38 is operated automatically or at will to sever the complete flashing into uniform or different lengths 39 as desired.

With this apparatus, `the process of making the completed flashing is continuous, depending only upon the replenishing of the metal or fabric rolls, and if themovement of the flashing is discontinued for a short time, the fire in the burner will go out as the inflammable material of the asphaltic liquid Will be burned from the metal strip leaving only the baked coating thereon, and as the burner is not replenished with :additional inflammable material, the flame will not pass out of the entering end following the strip down to the receptacle .23, but will be extinguished vat The folded edge I 4 the entering end of the burner due to the draft therein.

Although this process has been described in connection with a ashing having a narrow strip of material at one side, it may also be duplicated at the other side of a Wider strip of fabric and the fabric cut lengthwise intermediate the edges after the stapling operation is completed. The flashing may be made in various Widths, or the metal strip may be varied in width and bent at right angles or in other different forms as it is applied to the fabric.

I claim:

The method of making flashing continuously which consists in feeding a strip of ferrous metal through an inflammable liquid which leaves a coating residue when burned, burning the liquid from the strip, leaving a sticky coating residue, applying the metal strip adjacent to one edge of a fabric strip, heating the edge of the fabric strip to which the metal strip is applied, bending the heated portion of the fabric strip over the edge of the metal strip as it adheres thereto, and in permanently attaching the strips together mechanically in the said overlying relation.

CARROLL C. FIGGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 418,519 Johns Dec. 3l, 1889 798,365 Rupley Aug. 29, 1905 1,480,383 Figge Jan. 8, 1924 1,586,892 Fischer June 1, 1926 1,587,568 Watkins June 8, 1926 1,620,239 Smith Mar. 8, 1927 1,794,674 Cumfer Mar. 3, 1931 1,872,317 Meeker Aug. 16, 1932 1,996,951 Clark et al. Apr. 9, 1935 2,371,357 Schindler Mar. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 536,139 Germany Oct. 20, 1931 

